e."

"Then let me tell you that I do not think it at all polite for you to
say Mr. to me," answered the voice.

"Isn't it? Well, I am sorry then."

"But you ought to know better," said the voice. "You can't think it is
polite to lie there with your head under the bed-clothes and never look
to see what kind of a person you are talking to! I want you to come out
with me."

"I want to go to sleep!" said Diamond.

"Will you take your head out of the bed-clothes?" said the voice a
little angrily.

"No!" said Diamond crossly.

The moment he said the word a fierce blast of wind crashed in the wall
and swept the clothes off him. He started up in a fright. Leaning over
him was the large, beautiful, pale face of a woman. Her dark eyes had
begun to flash a little but the rest of her face was very sweet and
beautiful. What was very strange, though, was that away from her head
streamed out her black hair in every direction like dark clouds. Soon it
fell down about her again and then her face came out of it like the
moon out of the clouds.

"Will you go with me now, little Diamond?" asked the North Wind bending
over him and speaking very gently.

"Yes, yes!" cried Diamond, stretching out his arms toward her. "Yes, I
will go with you, dear North Wind. I am not a bit afraid. I will go!
But," he added, "how shall I get my clothes? They are in mother's room
and the door is locked."

"Oh never mind your clothes. You will not be cold. Nobody is cold with
the North Wind."

"I thought everybody was," said Diamond.

"That is a great mistake. People are not cold when they are _with_ the
North Wind--only when they are against it. Now will you come?"

"Yes, dear North Wind. You are so beautiful I am quite ready to go with
you."

"Ah, but I may not always look beautiful. If you see me with my face all
black, don't be frightened. If you see me flapping wings like bat's
wings, as big as the whole sky, don't be afraid. If you hear me raging,
you must believe that I am just doing my work. Nay, Diamond, if I change
into a serpent or a tiger, you must not let go your hold of me, for it
will be I just the same. And now, come!"

She turned away and went so swiftly that she was gone before Diamond was
more than started. When he finally got down the stairs and out into the
yard, no one did he see. And there he stood with his bare feet on the
hard stones of the paved yard.

"I dare say she is hiding somewhere to see what I will do," sa